Storm Shadow Returns in G.I. Joe 2

While G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra may have been a bit of a big budget mess of a film, it did bring to fans a whole lot of what G.I. Joe is all about: crazy action, cool characters and over-the-top vehicles. Despite some questionable special effects, Rise of Cobra offered a fun experience, bringing to the screen what many of us imagined in our heads as children while toying with action figures on the floor.

G.I. Joe 2 is expected to bring back most of the iconic franchise characters of the first film for another explosive adventure, and now we can include one character who many thought may have met his end: Storm Shadow.

By far, one of the coolest aspects of the live-action G.I. Joe film is how it took the opportunity to utilize flashback sequences to explore the history of several key characters. Two of those characters who shared a complex history were Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes, played by Lee Byung-hun and Ray Park, respectively. In their final showdown however, Snake Eyes seemingly defeats Storm Shadow, ending his life.

According to The Hollywood Reporter’s report however, they have confirmed with Lee Byung-hun’s agency that he’ll be back to reprise the role of Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe 2. There’s no word yet on Brandon Soo Hoo, who played the youthful Storm Shadow in the flashbacks of the first flick, but it’s unlikely they’ll delve into the back-story of the character in the sequel.

We all know what this means: Storm Shadow vs. Snake Eyes rematch!

Their action sequences were a highlight of The Rise of Cobra and bringing them back offers an easy sell for the sequel to many fans. We can only hope that Zombieland/Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick give them and their dynamic relationship good screen time.

With new talent penning the screenplay and a new director incoming (Stephen Sommers is not returning to direct G.I. Joe 2), we can all hope that with the origin story already told, characters and set designs already established, that Paramount Pictures takes this opportunity to bring a solid sequel to go along with the profitable Hasbro merchandise.